Marigold's Stories
by lemonade
Summary: Marigold Smallburrow, adventurer extrordinaire... runs into Frodo and breaks her ankle.
1. The Unexpected Stay

The Unexpected Stay.  
  
Marigold looked at the scenery about her. Green grass, tall trees... adorable hobbit holes. It was a wonder she managed to continue walking instead of sitting down in the shade with a nice book. Hobbiton was just one of the places she had been since she began her journey, and if all went well, she's see most of middle earth before she was called back to Rivendell. Marigold was taking her time travelling through the shire though. Since taking hobbit form she had become strangely attracted to the area. She also had a strange urge to eat seven or more meals a day. Luckily she had been able to bypass growing hair on her feet with a small spell. The road widened now and Marigold neared the centre of town. Ahead of her was a large square building. She didn't know what it was so she walked near to it, hoping to discover it's use. The road she was taking turned a corner around the building so Marigold decided to follow that road to see if the other face of the building would yield any clues as to it's use. Before Marigold could turn the corner, or even get far enough to see around the corner, she was bowled over by a young blue-eyed hobbit who knocked her over and fell on top of her. Marigold looked up into his eyes and shivered. There was something about this hobbit. Overcome by the emotions of the moment, she reached up, linked her arms around his neck and pulled him closer, kissing him. They stayed connected for a few seconds before the dark haired boy hobbit shifted from ontop of her and stood up, apologising fervently.  
"I am so very very sorry Miss." He said. "Let me help you with those books."  
Marigold pushed herself into a sitting position and studied the hobbit who had just made her feel a way she hadn't experienced in nearly three thousand years.  
"Terribly terribly sorry." The hobbit repeated, glancing at the girl in front of him. Her green eyes made his knees tremble. "You aren't hurt, are you?"  
"Oh no, no harm done." Marigold chuckled half-heartedly before trying to get up. She bended her left knee but when she tried to move her right leg to raise herself upwards a flash of pain seared from her ankle.   
"Ah, My ankle!" Cried Marigold, blinking away tears. "I think it's broken."  
"Oh no!" Yelped the other hobbit. "It's my fault!"  
He proceeded to continue apologising while picking up the rest of her books and helping her to her feet so that she could lean on him.  
"I'll... be okay." Marigold said, wincing at the pain that issued forth from her ankle. "I can set it but..."  
"But what? Anything, I'll do it! Oh, I am so sorry!" Said the hobbit. "I must help you."  
"I am travelling through the area and I would need somewhere to rest for a few days, maybe weeks, while it heals. Can you direct me to a good inn? I could use some help getting there too. I can probably scrape together the money."  
"Oh no!" Said the hobbit. "I cannot allow you to do that! This is all my fault, you simply must stay at my home until you are well enough to continued your travels."  
"You're very kind but..."  
"Then it is settled. You shall stay at Bag End until your ankle is healed."  
"but.."  
"Come on, I can probably carry you. it's not far."  
"I!"  
The hobbit lifted her up in his arms, cutting her protests short. She was suprisingly lighter than he expected.  
"But I don't even know your name." Marigold disputed. "I don't want to be a burden."  
"You shall not be a burden Miss." Replied the hobbit. "It will be a pleasure having you. My name is Frodo Baggins by the way, and it comes to mind that I do not know your name either."  
"Marigold..." Marigold murmured, feeling faint in the hobbits arms, resigned to her 'abduction' as it was. "My name is Marigold Smallburrow."  
"Then maybe I do know you... sort of" Replied Frodo. "We have some Smallburrows living around here. Good folk."  
Marigold was taken aback. "They are of no relation to me, I don't think. I am from very far away as it happens, and all my relatives live there."  
"Are you certain?" Asked Frodo. "Where Bare/B You from?"  
"You would not know the place."  
"Okay. Well I did not know of any hobbit settlements further away than Bree."  
"There is one..."  
Marigold rested her head on Frodo's shoulder and Frodo looked alarmed.  
"I do not understand." Said Frodo. "I have never felt this way before."  
"I have not felt like this for a long time." Said Marigold. "But I do understand."  
"This is love at first sight, is it not?" Asked Frodo. "My Uncle Bilbo has composed songs about this."  
"Love? I do not know..." Said Marigold, looking sad. "A person could never love me..."  
Frodo suddenly turned and hopped over a fence by the road, into a field shielded from vision on all sides by trees and leafy shrubs. Frodo put Marigold down gently on the grass, being very careful about her ankle. He sat down beside her and took her hands in his.  
"I love you." He said.  
"We only just met." Said Marigold.  
"I don't care." Replied Frodo, and he kissed her long and hard until they were no longer sitting, but lying on the grass, with Frodo leaning on top of Marigold. "I love you, Marigold Smallburrow."  
"I love you too, Frodo Baggins." Said Marigold.  
"I am exceedingly glad to hear that." Replied Frodo, before kissing her again.  
  
*****Censored*****  
  
Marigold sat up and was quickly reminded of her ankle by a sharp burst of pain. She looked down at her ankle and then her gaze traveled up her legs until she realized she was wearing no clothes.  
"Yipe!" She exclaimed. "I have no clothes on!"  
This woke Frodo who was lying in the field beside her.  
"What happened?" He asked groggily.  
"I don't know." Replied Marigold. "I think we got carried away and I cannot see my clothes anywhere."  
Frodo glanced down at himself and then noticed his breeches laid out on the ground beside them. Marigold's clothes, however, were nowhere to be seen.  
"Oh..." Said Frodo, putting two and two together, his muscles aching. "Did we...?"  
"I think so." Said Marigold. "Oh, there's nothing else for it."  
Marigold blinked twice and instantly was wearing a backless top and a miniskirt.  
"What kind of clothes are they?" Asked Frodo. "I have seen nothing like them before."  
"They are native to my homeland." Marigold said. "I have not yet been able to materialize foreign clothing."  
"Did you say materialize?" Asked Frodo, realizing what he had just seen. "Can you do magic?"  
"A little." Replied Marigold. "My power is charged by my emotions. You must be good."  
Frodo blushed but then another question appeared to him.  
"A hobbit with magic? You're a hobbit witch?" He asked. "I have only known of Elves, Dwarves and Men who can do magic."  
"I am the only one I know of." Said Marigold. "My power is why I think you can not love me, It comes between people."  
"Marigold," Frodo said. "How that name rolls off the tongue, like a sweet song. Marigold, I love you... magic or no magic."  
"Really?" Marigold asked, raising an eyebrow, her insides soaring.  
"Really really."  
That line made Marigold start laughing, although Frodo could not understand why.  
"It's just something I remember from home." She reassured him. "I love you so, Frodo Baggins. You are the first person not to be scared by my magic."  
"Magic is a beautiful thing Marigold." Said Frodo, pulling on his breeches. "It should not be hidden, but held out like a flame for all to see, for all to share in it's light."  
"That is so poetic." Said Marigold. "Where did you learn such things?"  
"My Uncle Bilbo is very learned." Said Frodo as he buttoned his shirt. "He writes poetry and composes songs when he is not writing a book about his adventures or teaching me about poetry, song or another language."  
"I think I look forward to meeting your Uncle Bilbo." Said Marigold, while being lifted once again by Frodo.  
"Then you shall not have to wait long, Marigold." Said Frodo, jumping over the fence and back into the road. "I stay with my Uncle Bilbo at Bag End."  
"Oh..." Said Marigold, the thought of absolute privacy with Frodo squashed. "Call me Mari, If you wish."  
"Do you wish to be called Mari?"  
"It makes no difference to me."  
"Then I shall continue to call you Marigold. It sounds so much sweeter than Mari."  
"Okay." Replied Marigold. "And I shall call you Frodo, since I cannot think of a way to shorten it."  
Marigold laughed and Frodo joined in.  
"You are simply magical, Marigold." Said Frodo, smiling. "I think it certainly was a bit of luck that I ran into you."  
Frodo paused for a moment.  
"Although I am very very sorry for hurting you."  
"My ankle will heal." Said Marigold. "I am just so embarassed to have to be carried."  
Marigold snapped her fingers as an idea came to her.  
"I think I have a little magic left." She said. "Put me down, please."  
Frodo set Marigold down on the road and helped her to stand. With the hand not wrapped arround his shoulders for balance, Marigold waved a strange shape in the air, which grew in form to become a pair of crutches. With her free hand, Marigold grasped the crutches and shifted her weight to them, one under each arm.  
"Much better." Marigold said.  
Frodo took a step back, amazed. "What are those?" He asked.  
"They are crutches." Said Marigold. "They'll help me to walk."  
There was a pause and Marigold found herself forced to continue.  
"Um... Yeah, While my magic is powered by my emotions, a backup usually remains and I can control it... Don't be afraid?"  
Frodo regained his voice and reassured Marigold. "You are even more magical than I thought... but you still need you rest for a while right? You're still going to stay for a while? Even though you can walk?"  
"Oh yes." Said Marigold. "Once I set and bandage my ankle I'll still need to keep off it. I still need you."  
Marigold smile as Frodo, also smiling, took a step to stand beside her. "How can you walk in those things?"  
"It's easy."Marigold said, taking a step. "Like that."  
Marigold and Frodo continued walking.  
"You won't tell anyone about my magic, will you?" Asked Marigold. "It's hard enough as it is, fitting in in a strage town. Especially with hobbits, we aren't the most welcoming of strangers, you know."  
"Sure. I won't say a thing." Said Frodo. "While we're on the subject... let's not tell anyone about us. We are, after all, going to be living in the same house for a while."  
"Theres an us?" Marigold looked suprised.  
"Well... I was hoping... that is..." Frodo tried to explain, a trifle flustered.  
"I won't tell anyone." Said Marigold.  
They reached Bag End just before evening and an old grey haired hobbit rushed out of the green door.  
"Frodo! You missed afternoon tea! Where B have /B you been?" The old hobbit inquired. "Not to mention you missed elevensies and luncheon. Why, I haven't seen you since second breakfast."  
"Um... Well I was just coming home from Sam's, running because I was late for elevensies actually, when I ran into this yound lady." Frodo stepped aside and Marigold gave a small bow, as much as she could manage with the crutches.  
"Marigold Smallburrow, At your service." She said.  
"Well, most unfortunately, I ran into her and tripped both of us up. I am afraid she broke her ankle in the accident." Frodo continued. "And since Marigold is just travelling through the area, she has no place to stay while her ankle heals. I offered for her to stay here, at Bag End, until she is mended."  
"Oh, You poor child!" The old man (who was Bilbo) cried. He referred to her as child as he was already 110 and a half, anyone was young compared to him. "You poor child, I am terribly sorry about my nephew. Oh! Let me introduce myself. I am Bilbo Baggins and you simply must stay here until you are quite well again."  
"Thankyou." Said Marigold. "And nice to meet you. Frodo has told me much about you, although I am very sorry I delayed your nephew. It took us some time getting here." Marigold looked at Frodo who was going red, and then quickly continued. "I mean, with my ankle and all."  
"Yes, yes, your ankle." Bilbo said. "Come in, come in and make yourself at home. Come sit down and rest that ankle. I'll say we may suffer a late afternoon tea as well?"  
"Or dinner." Said Frodo. "But yes, come in. Our home is your home."  
Bilbo scurried quickly over to the funny green, round door, holding it open for Marigold by the shiny gold doorknob. Marigold wobbled in, guided by Frodo, since her crutches were beginning to hurt her.  
They led her to a comfortable sitting room, with four green armchairs and a round coffee table in the middle. Frodo helped Marigold into one of them.  
"I'll be right back." He said, reluctant to let go of her. "I just have to go and help Uncle Bilbo with the tea... or afternoon tea... or dinner or whatever it is."  
Frodo left the room and Marigold was left alone to contemplate her thoughts.  
What was she doing? Kissing a complete stranger and then going to stay with him for a few weeks? This was definitely going to mess up her schedule. According to her memory, she had about 12 months before she was due back at Rivendell and she was supposed to be visiting every signifigant place in middle earth. On foot! She figured now she'd have to leave out Fangorn Forest, or Mirkwood... or even Mordor and she had been looking forward to that. Calmed by her hobbit senses, telling her that the shire was safe and the best place to be, Marigold relaxed and noticed how comfortable the chair was. What was it? Duck feathers? The chair couldn't have been stuffed with duck feathers. Marigold deduced that these people certainly were wealthy but she was disturbed suddenly by a dark head poking back in the door.  
"Would you like some eggs?" Frodo asked. "Or we've got sponge cake I think..."  
"No thanks." Replied Marigold. "I'm not really hungry."  
Frodo was shocked. "Not hungry? But surely... you... we haven't had lunch or anything."  
"No really." Marigold smiled. "I'm not hungry."  
Frodo paused for a moment, thinking.  
"I'll take that as a yes, then?" He asked. "You know I think we have a bit of vanila slice in the pantry."  
Frodo smiled cheekily.  
"In this hobbit hole, you can't be not hungry." Frodo said before returning to the kitchen. "Believe me."  
Marigold smiled at his retreating form. Dammit, she wasn't hungry and besides that, being immortal her body didn't need much food. Oh well, she had had to eat alot socially sometimes. Marigold resigned herself to weeks of yucky, goey and probably tomatoey dinners and the hobbit part of her rejoiced.  
Actually vanila slice didn't sound to bad to her but these guys didn't have refrigerators. Ick. She shot a fireball from her hand and twirled her finger, following it around the room with her eyes. Over the last thousand or so years she bored easily.   
Marigold nearly dropped it when Bilbo entered the room. With a snap of her wrist and a magic word, Marigold reversed time a bit... Actually vanila slice didn't sound to bad to her but these guys didn't have refrigerators. Ick. She shot a fireball from her hand and quickly made it disappear before Bilbo entered the room again for the first time.   
"How would you like your tea, dear?" He asked her. "Or coffee?"  
"Tea, thank you. White with no sugar." Marigold replied and the hobbit scurried back to the kitchen.  
Marigold blanched inwardly. Why had she said that? She hated tea. Marigold shrugged and decided to go with the flow, even though she realized her new hobbit body was beginning to affect her judgement. Marigold set about setting her ankle, and fishing around in her backpack she had with her, she looked for some bandages. As she wrapped her ankle, Marigold stated thinking again.  
Now Marigold was looking forward to the dinner. It had been weeks since she'd eaten anything... anything but cram.   
Dammit! Stupid hobbit instincts. This was gonna take a while to get used to. Geez, It was like having a yeerk in her head. Marigold was so confused. She had never had a body with instincts so powerful and she didn't know what that indicated about hobbits. Marigold decided to stop thinking so much to herself as it made her seem devious. She actually wasn't devious. Just an all-powerful deity from the future who wanted to explore middle-earth, but she couldn't tell THAT to Frodo. The hobbit colony wasn't a lie though. She had created one on the other side of the world because she just ADORED hobbits really. Anyway, Marigold had decided to be a hobbit for this journey because she could hide better this way that being an Elf, and it was safer, considering what happened when she was an Elf in some earlier ages. She was being sincere about what she felt about Frodo though, and that no-one, according to her knowledge, could love her. A little bit of psychic power. she didn't have much but it came in handy anyway, told her that Frodo would be important, to her and to all. Admittedly, Frodo was seeming important to her now, and once again, Marigold had started daydreaming. Oops!  
"Marigold, Marigold." Frodo had hold of Marigold's shoulder and was shaking her. "Hey Mari... Marigold."  
"Wha?" Marigold blinked and stretched in her chair, a little startled. "What's happening?"  
"Nothing, you just drifted off." Replied Frodo. "But dinner's ready now. You are hungry, aren't you?"  
"What? Oh... yeah, I guess." Said Marigold. "You know, what with this journey and all, I haven't eaten anything but dwarfish cram in weeks."  
"Well I'll have to show you just how good Shire food is then, won't I." Said Frodo, taking her arm and helping her up. "Come on, we have a dining room just across the hall."  
Just across the hall turned out to be several doors down.  
"This house... er... hole is huge." Marigold commented, although amazement did not show in her voice.  
"It's my Uncle Bilbo's." Admitted Frodo. "But he doesn't mind you staying here, that's for sure. He loves guests."  
"Why that's very nice of him."  
"Yes, actually his father built this hole." Said Frodo. "I should tell you one time about some guests he had a while back."  
"I should like the hear that." Marigold said, as Frodo sat her down at the table. "Are you adventurous hobbits? I've noticed that you don't get many of those in these parts."  
"Well... You probably could say that about my Uncle... but don't worry, I am not as odd. His stories are nice though."  
"So you're not adventurous?"  
"Not if it's a bad thing."  
Marigold laughed. "You know, I don't think I should stay here."  
"Why not?"  
"You're so remarkably charming that I don't suppose I will ever be able to leave."  
"I don't see a problem in that."  
"A bit forward, aren't you?" Said Marigold. "You're more like your Uncle Bilbo than you give credit for."  
Frodo leant over and gave Marigold a quick kiss, as Bilbo was still safely in the kitchen.  
"Don't want to spoil a winning streak." He said. "Now here comes Bilbo. Don't be alarmed by his unusual speech, he's not as respectable as others, but he is harmless."  
"Well gee, Frodo." Said Marigold, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder. "You don't put two and two together, do you? Think... I'm not from around here, I've been travelling... Is it possible I might be on an adventure?"  
"Oh." Frodo quietened quickly.  
"Okay everybody, here comes dinner." Called Bilbo, scuttling into the room. "Now don't be afraid to dig in, Miss Marigold, there's plenty more."  
They laughed as Bilbo served the food and joined them at the table. At a spur of the moment, Marigold decided to return Frodo's affection and show that she wasn't insulted, so she gave him a gentle jab in the ribs, to make him laugh. Instead of laughing though, Frodo turned and looked at her with a confused look on his face, so she shrugger her shoulders and smiled, raising her eyebrows, which served only to make Frodo more confused. Marigold gave up and enjoyed her dinner, though she would have to make up with Frodo later.  
  
*** Later Marigold returned to find the square building, only to discover it was not there. *Gasp* It had been a... *DUM DUM DUUUUUM...* Plot device!!! *** 


	2. Making Up

Marigold sat on her bed in Bag End. The room was surprisingly luxurious. She had actually never been inside a hobbit hole before. They were cosy and not at all damp. Frodo had led her to this room after dinner and had helped her sit down before leaving. At which point he had left. Marigold was bored. Marigold was also lonely. And bored. She wished that she had not made the 'on an adventure comment.' She really wasn't on an adventure. It was more of a tour. She had, after all promised to come back to Rivendell at the time when the evil returned. That was a long time ago. Marigold had been a different person then, when at the volcanoes edge she had promised Elrond that she would return when the time came for the evil to be destroyed. Actually, he was the only other person who had actually trusted her, what with her powers and all. But then Marigold had been called away on business and she hadn't got back until about a year before. Two years would have been enough to explore the whole of middle earth to get up-to-date with everything again. She had thought that anyway but now it seemed that she would prefer to spend the year she had left here. This feeling alarmed her still, although she was used to it. So much had happened in one day, a few hours. Marigold was a bit scared now at what would happen when she had to go back to Rivendell. Elrond would... well no probably not. He was married now, she remembered thankfully. He was married. Marigold sat on the bed, twiddling her thumbs. Marigold remembered something in her backpack, the backpack that she had nearly fallen on when Frodo had knocked her over and was now sitting on the bad beside her. A slight movement was now noticeable from said backpack and Marigold heard a small whine. That was certainly worth remembering. She had put Quellie in her backpack about an hour before arriving in hobbiton. The little puppy just couldn't handle all the walking. A small whine emanated from the backpack again and the backpack tried to get up and walk off the bed. Marigold picked up the backpack just in time, before Quellie managed to tip herself over. Marigold undid the clasp and lifted Quellie out of the pouch. The small irish setter jumped out of her arms and sat down in front of her.  
"Well aren't I glad to be out of there." A voice appeared in Marigold's head. "As much as I am glad the bag is soundproof and linked to a small other dimension."  
"Huh?" Marigold asked.  
"Well you certainly seem to have made some new friends." Quellie raised an eyebrow, as much as a puppy can anyway. "Some very good new friends. Are we in Rivendell yet?"  
"No. We've actually made a slight pit stop. We're still in hobbiton."  
"But I've been in that bag for weeks!"  
"Nope, You've been in there for a few hours. The dimension time acting up?"  
"Erg, probably." Quellie looked annoyed. "This puppy body is really bothersome. I'm so small."  
Quellie was about the size of a small drink bottle. She was a hobbit sized irish setter puppy, like the hobbit ponies are smaller than real horses, only Quellie was a dog.  
"Alright, alright." Marigold conceded. "I can make you full grown again. I just won't be able to fit you back in the backpack."  
"It doesn't bother me." Came the voice of Quellie. "I wonder if hobbits like dogs?"  
Marigold clicked her fingers and Quellie grew quickly to about the size of a computer hard drive. Not that they had computers.  
"That's better, all that cuteness was killing me." Quellies voice was slowly fading. "What? You're taking away my voice? How will I be able to tell them I don't like dog foo...?"  
Finally Quellie's voice could no longer be heard.  
"Sorry, Quellie." Marigold said. "Better you just be a normal dog. You know, so they don't run screaming into the wilderness."  
Quellie nodded, but looked particularily miffed.  
Frodo popped his head into the room just then.  
"Hey Marigold." He said. "I was just wondering... hey! where did that come from?"  
"Oh, the dog?" Marigold asked. "This is my dog Quelleannon, shortened to Quellie."  
"Yes, I realize it is a dog." Said Frodo. "But where did it come from?"  
"She must have followed me here." Said Marigold. "She's a very smart dog."  
Marigold looked at Quellie knowingly, she had better not do anything too smart.  
"Um... okay." Frodo said, staring at the dog. "So... does it have to stay here?"  
Quellie growled and Marigold hastily replied. "Um... yes. I think she wants to stay."  
Marigold glared at Quellie.  
"Well... um, Okay then." Frodo looked awkward. "As long as it doesn't make a mess."  
"Yeah... well, um. Look, I just want to apologise for earlier. I..." Marigold said. "I think I may have upset you."  
"Oh, no trouble at all." Frodo relaxed. "So you didn't take offense?"  
"And you didn't take offense either?" Marigold looked relieved. "I was worried that you..."  
"Oh no, It's absolutely fine." Said Frodo. "But you're an adventurer? You don't look it."  
"I'm sort of an adventurer." Said Marigold. "What gave it away? Was it the lack of a walking stick."  
They laughed nervously and Quellie lay down, with her paws over her ears and whined.  
"I... I think she needs to go outside." Marigold said. "I'll take her out, okay?"  
"But what about your ankle." Said Frodo. "I'll take her outside if you want..."  
"No, no... It'll be fine, really." Marigold reassured. "Umm... Quellie is very protective. She doesn't like me being out of her sight."  
"Oh, okay... Strange dog." Said Frodo, walking out but pausing at the door. "I'll be in the back loungeroom, when you get back in. We could... talk or something."  
"Sure." Marigold replied as Frodo left. "Sure..."  
Marigold stood up, leaning on the dresser. "This is all your fault Quellie." She said. "Now I have to go outside. Why can't you act like a dog instead of a person for once?"  
Quellie shook her head and walked over towards the door.  
"Yeah, I'm coming." Said Marigold. "You don't really need to go outside but... just to keep up appearances."  
Marigold hobbled outside with Quellie at her heels.  
"Just because you're a witch in dog form, you think you rule the world. If I could change like that..." Marigold strated on Quellie. "But... I can't. And you're stuck like that anyway. Teach you to flaunt your powers."  
Quellie growled.  
"All right, all right." Marigold conceded. "You can have your voice back."  
Quellie yapped in response.  
"But I'm enchanting it." Continued Marigold. "I don't want anyone else hearing you. You can talk all you want and only I'll hear you. maybe that's enough and you'll behave more like a dog?"  
Marigold raised an eyebrow and Quellie gave the best innocent dog-smile she could. Marigold snapped her fingers.  
"Much better." Said Quellie. "But you were making an absolute fool of yourself."  
" 's none of your business." Marigold pouted. "I can act all nervous and stupid if I feel nervous and stupid."  
"You really like him huh?"  
"Yep." Said Marigold. "Now... why don't you go chase some sheep or something while I try to rationalize your actions to Frodo."  
"Ruff! I'll rationalize you." Quellie barked. "You just want alone time."  
"Yep."  
"Alright." Quellie called as she loped off. "But if I get caught and shot as a foreign delicacy, these hobbits eat alot I've heard, It will be your fault."  
Marigold smiled as Quellie retreated into the distance.  
"And stay out." She muttered and she turned and went back inside. 


	3. Bree And Back

Marigold was tapping her foot impatiently, waiting for Frodo, who should have been there by now. It wasn't her idea to move to Buckland, that's for sure, but Frodo wanted to get married and raise a family, and she wasn't going to argue to the one she loved when he said that he'd prefer their children grew up somewhere not quite so built up as Hobbiton. Marigold didn't see what all the fuss was about. Surely it wasn't that much of a difference, Buckland was certainly very busy as well, and it wasn't THAT important that the kids grew up swimming. Ugh, kids. Marigold hated children. Damn.  
Anyway, Frodo was supposed to have arrived in Buckland with Samwise and Peregrin hours ago. Mmmm... Peregrin Took... No! Engaged hobbit... I am an engaged hobbit... must... not... stray. Obviously Marigold was having a little trouble staying faithful, regardless of the fact that she loved Frodo infinitely.  
"Hey Frodo!" Marigold yelled at a figure along the road. Frodo! Is that you?"  
The figure turned and Marigold realized that it was not Frodo. Nope, this creepy figure was a Nas Gul. Marigold regognized him very well. This was baaaaaad news to her. Very baaaaaaaaaad news. "No.... Sorry." She called. "My mistake!" but it was too late, she had caught the Nas Gul's attention, that was for sure, and it mounted the horse next to it, which Marigold hadn't previously noticed, or maybe she had thought it was Sam. The Nas Gul and horse trotted over.  
"Yesss....?" It hissed.   
"Oh, N... n... nothing." Marigold replied. "I... thought you were someone else... My fiance..."  
"Bagginsssss...?"  
Suddenly Marigold was overcome by a sharp pain and a white light flashed in front of her eyes. "Erg... No, The Baggins'es live in Hobbiton... that way." Marigold pointed down the road, since Frodo wasn't supposed to be going that way. "If you heard about him... moving to Buckland, you know... there's been a change of plans. He's not moving anymore. But you can visit him if you travel down that road to Hobbitton." Marigold forced a smile to look convincing. "You'll be a friend then?"  
"Yessss...." The Nas Gul answered before it turned and swept away down the dark road.  
"Phew." Marigold sighed. That flash was a warning, she was certain. The Nas Gul mobilized again... that could only mean one thing... Frodo certainly wasn't intending to stay in Buckland.  
"I'm going to have to look into this..." Marigold said to herself quietly, a little afraid.  
About ten minutes later, Marigold was warming herself by the fire in thier new home. Meriadoc was there, and Fredegar too.  
Marigold waited until she was warm before confronting Meriadoc, it was very cold and the meeting with the Nas Gul hadn't helped.  
"Meriadoc Brandybuck," Marigold started sternly, remembering the little fear that the hobbits seemed to harbour for her. "Come over here, by the fire. I meant to have a talk with you."  
Meriadoc walked over to the fire and stared into it. "I'm afraid I don't know what you would talk about." He said nonchalantly.  
"Frodo's been acting strange lately." Said Marigold. "And I saw a very queer person on the road today. Somethings about to happen."  
"It may be that something is going to happen, Miss." Replied Meriadoc. "But I cannot admit to knowing anything about what you are telling me about. What can it possibly have to do with me?"  
"Meriadoc, I think you know something about it. About what is going to happen."  
"Me, Miss?" Asked Meriadoc. "What reason could you have for suspecting me of having knowledge that i haven't shared with you?"  
"Hmmm... Let's see... Congregating in groups... whispering... looking knowingly at your friends." Marigold started. "Don't fuck around with me, Merry. Frodo's my fiance and if anything's going to happen to him, if he is going to do anything, I want to know about it."  
Meriadoc looked shocked. "Um... Miss... I..." He stuttered. "Welll... I, I really don't know the details but we... I mean, we think Frodo may be leaving... forever."  
Marigold cast her eyes down to the flames. "Then it is as I feared... The ring... Gandalf... He means to leave without me, doesn't he?"  
"Well... um... er, i wouldn't be so sure... Miss..." Said Meriadoc unconvincingly. "Well, If he truly hasn't told you anything... then yes, I would say he means to leave without you."  
"What else do you know? Or what can you deduce?"  
"He... He means to leave, he may not be returning, and he means to leave from here, from Bucklands. I think Samwise is going with him as well, and Gandalf possibly. He... I am certain he thinks to leave secretly. I can tell it pains him greatly, to leave you, though."  
"Leave me?" Marigold quipped. "What give you the idea that he'll be leaving me? I won't give him the pleasure."  
"You... won't?"  
"No, I won't. Fellow conspirator, we have a new plan."  
"Huh? What plan? What?" Meriadoc looked a little frightened of Marigolds sudden determination.  
"I'm going with him." Said Marigold. "and... you will go too. How about Pippin? Do you think Peregrin would like to go?"  
"But... that was already the plan. Pippin and I were to follow Frodo."  
"Really?" Said Marigold. "You are a most loyal friend then, Merry. Well, an addition to the plan then. Me."  
"Ulp... Are you certain, Miss? It could be dangerous."  
"Well..." Marigold began, her voice quivering nervously. "Almost..?"  
"I think you should talk to Frodo about the situation, Miss." Ended Meriadoc. "I cannot know what he would wish for you."  
"I think I shall talk to Frodo about this, Merry." Said Marigold. "But let's go on to a different strain of the same subject... shall we? You were, howsay, intending to FOLLOW Frodo, am I right? Not simply offer to go with him?"  
"No, Miss." Replied Merry. "We... meant to follow him only."  
"Not such a good friend then are you?" Marigold chided. "How would some sneaky assailants following help him if anything happened."  
"How would worrying about the safety of two extra people, two friends, help?"  
"Good call. But why not? If you convinced him that you were afeared for his safety, that would wished to go with him... wouldn't that waylay his worries."  
"I don't know, Miss. When he screws himself up like this..."  
"I know what he's like, yes... but try this phrase; 'You'd have to send us home ties up in a sack to stop us.' It emphasises how much you care for his safety over your own, as well as your determination to go with him."  
"I may... we may just try that, Miss."  
"Call me Mari."  
"We may just try that, Mari. We may."  
Marigold sat back in an overstuffed recliner, facing the fire, and eventually nodded off to sleep thinking about Frodo, whilst a more or less troubled Meriadoc wandered slowly back to Fredegar to discuss Frodo's troublesome girlfriend and her aims to impede on the secrecy of the conspiracy.  
  
******  
  
"Frodo, You're here finally!" Said Marigold, hiding the fact that she knew what he was planning. "I was looking around the place and I have absolutely no idea how we are going to decorate this place but then I thought... but that didn't work out so I decided... but that fell out as well so I tried to... and when that failed I concluded to just leave it to you. We're going to have so much fun here aren't we Frodo..."  
"Umm... yes, yes we are going to have a wonderful time." Frodo smiled weakly at Marigold, but he was very distant. "Umm... I'm very busy at the moment, I'll discuss the decorating with you later, I promise."  
Frodo walked past Marigold and into the house.  
"Well." Said Marigold to herself. "How much money do I have to bet that he intends not to talk to me about decorations later."  
She paused for a minute, reflefting on this, before gathering some flowers for a vase on then table and following Frodo inside.  
There was the sound of great splashing coming from inside the house when Marigold entered.  
"It sounds like a monsoon." Marigold said to whoever was listening, Meriadoc and Fredegar at the least. "How much water did you put in the tubs?"  
"Filled them right up, Miss Marigold." Said Merry, from his place by the fire, as Marigold arranged the flowers.  
"You doofus." Marigold exclaimed. "Haven't you ever heard of water conservation? Try filling them half full only next time... wait... if there is a next time..." Marigold trailed off.  
"Are you having second thoughts, Miss Marigold?" Asked Merry, perking up. "Because if you are, that's alright. We'll-"  
"No, I'm not." Marigold interrupted. "But just excuse me for one moment, will you?"  
"Certainly, Miss." Said Merry, but then stopped when he saw Marigold walk into the bathroom. "Wait! You can't go in... there?"  
Just as Marigold stepped in the bathroom, Peregrin made a huge splash in his tub, sending water flying all over the room and completely drenching Marigold. Her now totally soaked hair was plastered to her face and covered her eyes.  
"I need to speak to Frodo, guys." Marigold said. "So cover yourselves before I uncover my eyes."  
The hobbits quickly obeyed, covering themselves with whatever was near, sponges, facecloths or towels.  
"Do you mind?" Asked Samwise, apparently perturbed. "I thought I could get a bit of privacy in here."  
"Privacy?" Marigold asked, walking over to Frodo. "You're bathing with two other men and you say you had privacy? Get a life."  
Samwise quietened and Marigold knelt down next to Frodo.  
"Yes, Marigold?" Frodo asked. "What's so important that it requires you to crash the bathroom? You haven't pulled a stunt like this in ages."  
"Yes... important." Whispered Marigold so that only Frodo could hear. "Well, Frodo, the thing is, the black riders paid me a visit today asking for you."  
"Black riders?" Frodo stared at Marigold. "How much... do you know?"  
"Alot." Said Marigold. "More than you."  
"Then you know what I'm planning?"  
"Yes." Marigold replied. "And I can see the sense in it."  
"I'm... sorry." Said Frodo. "That i couldn't have told you sooner. It must be this way."  
"You're right. I harbour no ill feelings. The ring must not stay in the Shire." Said Marigold, and these words made Frodo relax. "But that's why I've decided to come with you."  
"What... no!" Frodo raised his voice but caught himself as he noticed the other hobbits trying earnestly to hear snatches of the conversation. "No... you don't understand... It's too dangerous."  
"If I go... then I can keep you safe."  
"Who will keep you safe?"  
"I will."  
"Oh, right. Your powers..." Frodo said. "Well I guess there's no stopping you."  
"I could never let you face anything by yourself Frodo." Said marigold. "I'd worry too much about you."  
"You care that much that you'd put yourself in danger?"  
"Yes."  
"At least now I won't have to say goodbye to you as well." Said Frodo. "You wouldn't believe how it felt each day, knowing that I was going to have to leave Pippin and Merry... and you too. Now it's not as painful."  
"Okay, well I have to prepare some stuff if I'm gonna go then." Said Marigold and she stood up and walked out of the room.  
  
******  
  
"You knew they were going to come, didn't you?" Asked Frodo as they trudged through the forest, Merry, Pippin and Samwise ahead, but Marigold and Frodo trailing. "You knew all along."  
"Well... Yeah." Said Marigold with a smile. "I convinced them to come."  
"You what?"  
"Well I convinced them to tell you they were comming. They were just gonna follow along behind." 


	4. A Tale Of Eglavilya

"Never have I gazed upon an Elf so fair." Murmered Legolas, kneeling before Eglavilya.  
"Uhh... You'll be wanting the Lady Galadriel then?" Asked Eglavilya. "She's over there."  
Eglavilya pointed to an area a hundred meters away where the clouds had parted and the birds sang at a sound like a bell, which rang out as laughter from the red lips of a (quite frankly, very scary looking) slim female Elf who was playing with some Elf-children.  
Legolas glanced over to Galadriel before returning his gaze to Eglavilya.  
"Hers is the evening, but you are the morning sun." He said, taking her hand in his.  
"Noo... Now you're thinking of the Lady Arwen." Said Eglavilya. "She, on the other hand is in Rivendell... but she's taken."  
Legolas thought for a moment.  
"You're not helping." He said finally. "I AM trying, you know."  
"Yeah?" Replied Eglavilya. "Well, NEWSFLASH : I don't like you. Try getting that into your thick blonde Elvish head."  
"No! I will not rest until you are in my arms." Proclaimed Legolas. "I shall win your heart yet!"  
He ran away to find something to give as a gift to Eglavilya and she plopped herself down on the grass.  
"This is gonna be a looong day." She said to herself, leaning back against a tree.  
"Hey Eggy, wassup?" Asked Marigold, strolling over to greet her freind. "Legolas giving you crap?"  
"No, he's just... oh, It's you Luinlome." Said Eglavilya. "I can't get used to you being in that body."  
"Sorry." Replied Marigold. "And call me Marigold, It goes with the body."  
"Well why don't you change back?" Asked Eglavilya. "And can't a call you Lui anyway?"  
"Ok, but I can't change back." Explained Marigold. "This is the body that most suits the quest, this body I've been using for 5 years, so everyone knows it, and it is this and only this body that keeps Elrond from snatching me up and locking me away for himself like old Celegorm tried to do to Luthien."  
"Cele-who?" Asked Eglavilya. "And what-ien?"  
"Simplified for you because you're so young you don't know any of this, like some hormone-crazy Elf royalty tried to do to Tinuviel in the days of the first dark lord."  
"Ah, Tinuviel." Said Eglavilya. "You could have said so."  
"I did." Replied Marigold. "Luthien is Tinuviel. Don't you know ANY history?"  
"Whatever." Said Eglavilya. "Hey, you'd know this right? Is it true that Aragorn and Arwen are a couple."  
"Geez, how do you know? I thought they were keeping that secret."  
"It's like the latest Elf hot gossip."  
"Well yeah, It is true." Replied Marigold. "But do you know what's freaky? Aragorn, though he's a man, is distantly related to Arwen throgh the marriage of Earendil and Elwing, who sired Elrond and Elros. Elrond married Celebrian and had Arwen, but Elros married a human and is the anscestor of Aragorn."  
"Gross." Answered Eglavilya. "But speaking of Elrond, here's something that will make you cringe. You know how Galadried is Elrond's mother in law?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Well she's also like his third cousin or something, so that makes her daughter whom he wed, his second cousin or something close to that."  
"Gross!" Replied Marigold. "Seriously gross."  
"So is Celebrian dead or something because I haven't seen her around?"  
"I'm not sure." Replied Marigold. "It's make sense though. I'm here before them and I'll be here after them."  
"Just like cockroaches."  
"Heey!" Marigold hit Eglavilya upside the head with her flat palm. "So I reckon that since Elrond has been hitting on me again, like he did before he met Celebrian, and noone has seen her, then Celebrian must be dead."  
"Wonder what happened to her?"  
"Feh, who cares." Said Marigold. "So what did Leggless want then?"  
"Uhhh... nothing."  
A long silence followed in which Marigold discovered how many times she could playfully hit Eglavilya in the shoulder in one minute... several times.  
"Okay okay okay!" Said Eglavilya. "I give in. Legolas is hitting on ME, if you want to know."  
"Gah, that's gross."  
"I know. Can't you turn me into a hobbit or something too so he'll go away?"  
"No way, this is way too funny."  
"Lui!" Eglavilya clenched her fists and tried to look annoyed but was unable to contain her laughter. "You planned this didn't you. You knew he would do this and you didn't do anything to stop it. Aven't I been your friend for long enough that you would alow me a little liberty from your powers?"  
"But you enjoy it Cods." Marigold looked puzzled and Eglavilya raised her hand to shut her up, but Marigold interpreted her actions. "I know, I know. We agreed. No real names."  
"Damn straight." Eglavilya replied. "I don't know why you're so lax about it. How many times have you got our cover blown?"  
"Well I'm sorry." Said Marigold. "But truly, what harm has it done? I consider it enlightenment for them. How am I supposed to keep such a big secret from my lovers?"  
"Gah, too much information!" Yelped Eglavilya. "I don't care how easy it is to wipe their memories, could you TRY to be a bit more careful?"  
"Only if you stop making the supporting cast fall in love with you."  
"Me? Do that?" Eglavilya looked innocent. "You don't talk, I don't nag you about your complete inability to keep a secret, Okay?"  
"No deal, I think I may tell Legolas the truth about you."  
"What? What truth?"  
"That you're desperately in love with him but you're afraid of committment."  
"Am not!"  
"Okay, afraid of rejection. Don't you trust your powers, Egg? You picked that body specifically because it would appeal to Legolas. You should know he wouldn't reject you."  
"I'm not like you though, Lui." Replied Eglavilya. "I can't just float around and cast spells on a whim, and fall in love with every blue-eyed hobbit that comes along."  
"Why not?"  
"Because you know..." Eglavilya cast her eyes down. "I don't... I didn't... believe as much as you. I... I can't trust my powers that much. You believed with all your heart and soul. I believed with a bit of bemusement. The only reason I'm here is because you gave me that additional pull."  
"You want me to charge your powers?"  
"It's not that... I mean, you're powers are unlimited and I... I can't even cast a reliable sleep spell sometimes."  
"But I rely on you, Egg. You are reliable."  
"But..."  
"And don't worry about your powers so much. I haven't got half the psychic potential you have. We're a team, remember."  
"A team?"  
"That's right. I provide the fun and games, you provide the brilliant, practical motherly advice. Why, you've gotten me out of as much scrapes as I've for you."  
A smile lit across Eglavilya's face. "Yeah. You're right. Why remember that time when..."  
"Shhh!" Marigold stopped her. "Look!"  
Marigold pointed and both saw the Lady Galadriel running from a hiding place behind them.  
"She heard..." Started Eglavilya.  
"We don't know how much she heard."  
"Ulp. We're gonna have to... you know... again?"  
"Yup. How about after Frodo has left? Then no-one will see us do it. No-one important, If not no-one at all."  
"Deal. But he should be leaving right now. And I thought you were going with him."  
"Ahhh nuts." Said Marigold. "Well I guess we'll have work that out later."  
Marigold heard the swish of boats far off and she knew that Frodo had left.  
"Summon Galadriel! Galadriel Harus Pergi Ke Di Sini!" Marigold called, and shortly after, Galadriel wandered up, looking terrified but not in control of anything but her eyes.  
"No-one's looking." Said Marigold, materializing a laser gun into Eglavilya's hands. "You do the honours."  
"Ugh, I hate doing this." Winced Eglavilya as she squeezed the trigger. A bolt of white light blasted Galadriel and Eglavilya dropped the gun. "That should do it."  
"Right." Said Marigold, looking at Galadriel's crumpled body on the forest floor. "That should take about ten minutes. Whe she wakes up she won't remember anything she heard."  
"Lui!" Eglavilya looked indignant. "I thought that was a real laser gun. You tricked me."  
"Ah, what a good friend you are, Eggy." Said Marigold. "Such a person that would kill someone for me certainly is reliable."  
"So her memory..."  
"Yeah, It was only a memory wipe." Said Marigold. "I couldn't kill her, she's much too important to this age."  
"You shouldn't have lied to me."  
"Awww... I'm sorry Egg." Said Marigold. "But I'm gonna make it up to you."  
"How?" Eglavilya pouted.  
Marigold's face lit up with a grin. "I'm taking you with me." At that, Marigold snapped her fingers and the two reappeared a few hundred meters downstream, just out of sight of the boats, although Marigold could hear them cutting through the fast current.  
Marigold grabbed her arm and they exploded out of the undergrowth and ran down onto the shore. "Hey! Wait! Wait!" Marigold yelled at them. "Wait! We want to come too!"  
"Stop the boats." Rang Aragorn's voice deeply. "Over to the shore!"  
They steered the three boats over to the girls and dragged them ashore, disembarking.  
Aragorn was the first to talk. "You two wish to come with us?"  
"Well I was going to anyways." Said Marigold.  
"No, no you weren't." Interrupted Frodo. "You were going to stay in Lothlorien so you don't get killed. It's too dangerous."  
"He has a point, Miss Smallburrow." Said Aragorn. "The journey here onwards does not get any safer, It would be far to dangerous for a woman."  
Marigold tapped a foot impatiently. "I've gotten this far, haven't I? I took out as many Orcs as all of you combined."  
"Nonetheless, we cannot expect to be that lucky as we continue. Your luck may run out, Miss Smallburrow, and I would not wish to be responsible for the loss of such a fair hobbit when you mean so much to Frodo." Said Aragorn.  
"Oh pshaw. Hobbits aren't fair and we're coming anyway." Replied Marigold.  
"Umm... yeah, we're coming." Agreed Eglavilya. "And I don't believe you can do anything to stop us."  
"Well," Began Aragorn. "Maybe we cannot stop Marigold, because of her powers, but you... are just an Elf."  
"And I would not wish to lament for you, as well as Gandalf." Said Legolas. "Such beauty should not be deprived from the world."  
"Besides..." Frodo searched for a good reason that they shouldn't come. "There's no room."  
"Well, I think you could stand to leave Legolas behind... after all, He is just an Elf." Rebuked Eglavilya.  
"I'm sure we could squeeze up." Said Marigold. "The boats of Lothlorien won't sink."  
"So it shall be then, Miss Smallburrow." Conceded Aragorn. "If no other members of the party disagrees, the Lady Marigold and the Lady Eglavilya shall join the fellowship at this point."  
Marigold cast a burning look at the eight members of the fellowship, and so not one of them uttered a word to break the silence.  
"Then it is official, Ten there are now in the Fellowship of the Ring." Said Aragorn. "Let us continue and not delay any longer."  
At his command, the Men, Dwarf, Hobbits and Elf helped the girls into the boats, before themselves getting back in. All were in the same boats as before, except now Eglavilya, much to her dismay, was sharing Legolas and Gimli's boat and Marigold, not so dismayed, that cheeky little hobbit, was squeezed up with Peregrin and Meriadoc. They pulled away from the shore and continued their jouney downstream, two members extra. 


End file.
